What can be concluded from the attempted recall in Lakeside?

An editorial by Lakesideinfo.com

Lakeside voters have spoken, again. What can we conclude from the result of not one single person being recalled from the Lakeside city council? We think it pretty safe to assume that voters spoke in November 2008 and again in October 2009, these are the people we chose, let them serve out their terms.

Definition of recall

A recall election (also called a recall referendum or representative recall) is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote (plebiscite), initiated when sufficient voters sign a petition.

Chief petitioner Kathy Gould

Kathy Gould attempted to recall five councilors, she stated that she was happy with the results because now people were “partaking,” presumably she meant participating. In actuality there has been a great show of community in the past three years. None of which the Mayor and councilor Crockett have been personally involved in.

The showiest of these is the Community Garden and the development of the playground along with beautification in diverse locations in town. This Christmas season trees will again be lining the front of city hall furnished by Mt. View farms, for the third year in a row. We will also be graced with the second annual “Crawdad festival” in May.

Maybe Gould believes that justifies the spending of what has been suggested as a $4,000 price tag to get rid of the five (in her opinion) troublesome councilors. The citizens disagreed and overwhelmingly voted to retain the five councilors.

Chief petitioner Calvin Walker

A counter recall was attempted by Calvin Walker placing Mayor Nelson and Councilor Crockett on the same ballot as the five councilors in the hope that Gould could be persuaded to drop her recall, call it a wash, saving the city a boatload of money. A logical hope and endeavor, but it didn’t work. Gould pushed forward with hers, so then did Walker. The citizen voters again disagreed; Nelson and Crockett were also retained.

No recall

A campaign of “no recall” was launched immediately after Gould announced her intent. That is the winning campaign, if you can say anyone really won after this costly fiasco.

If you live in the world of reality, you can only come to one conclusion.  “Get over the idea that you can use the recall process as a tool to retaliate against those that don’t agree with you.”

What now?

The voters have again spoken. Let those elected follow through, or not, on their campaign promises. The citizens will grade their efforts in the natural process of election. No longer will the voters in Lakeside tolerate the abuse of the recall process. Let it be used only in extreme circumstances of malfeasance.